Prepared Remarks of Attorney General John Ashcroft(Please
note that the Attorney General often deviates from the prepared remarks)Threat
Level Press ConferenceSeptember 10, 2002

Good afternoon.

The United States government has concluded, based on analysis and specific intelligence
of possible attacks on U.S. interests overseas, to call government, law enforcement
and citizens both at home and overseas to a heightened state of alert. After conferring
with the Homeland Security Council, the recommendation has been made to increase
the national threat level, currently classified at "elevated risk," to "high risk."
The President has accepted this recommendation.

The U.S. intelligence community
has received information, based on debriefings of a senior al Qaeda operative,
of possible terrorist attacks timed to coincide with the anniversary of the September
11 attacks on the United States.

Information indicates that al Qaeda cells
have been established in several South Asian countries in order to conduct car
bomb and other attacks on U.S. facilities. These cells have been accumulating
explosives since approximately January 2002 in preparation for these attacks.

The U.S. intelligence community has also received information that one or more
individuals in the Middle East are preparing for a suicide attack or attacks against
U.S. interests. At this time, we have no specific information as to where these
attacks might occur.

The U.S. intelligence community has concluded that
the most likely targets of al Qaeda attacks are the transportation and energy
sectors and facilities or gatherings that would be recognized worldwide as symbols
of American power or security. Examples of such symbols are U.S. military facilities,
U.S. embassies and national monuments.

In addition, U.S. intelligence has
concluded that lower-level al Qaeda operatives may view the September 11 anniversary
time period as a suitable time to lash out in even small strikes to demonstrate
their worldwide presence and resolve. Accordingly, widely dispersed, unsophisticated
strikes are possible.

The specificity of some of this information has contributed
to the decision to close four U.S. embassies in Southeast Asia and to elevate
our security at all overseas diplomatic and military facilities.

The increased
threat level is based on specific intelligence received and analyzed by the full
intelligence community. This information has been corroborated by multiple intelligence
sources.

Last year at this time, United States intelligence discerned
similar patterns of terrorist threat reporting overseas. In addition, other recent
events parallel terrorist activity that occurred in the weeks prior to last year's
attacks.

I want to emphasize that the recommendation was NOT made to move
to the highest level of alert, an action that would have been triggered by specific
credible intelligence pointing toward an imminent attack on the United States
homeland. At this time, most intelligence focuses on possible attacks on U.S.
interests overseas.

I have directed that Joint Terrorism Task Forces nationwide
coordinate their local response with U.S. Attorneys and local Anti-terrorism Task
Forces. In addition, I have directed that all relevant information be shared with
the Joint Terrorism Task Forces in order for federal officials to work effectively
and cooperatively with state and local officials.

As we have been forced
to do in the past, today we once again call on the American people to remain alert
but defiant in the face of this new threat. We are NOT recommending that events
be cancelled, nor do we recommend that individuals change domestic travel plans
or that the federal workforce not report for duty.

We ask that Americans
both at home and abroad mark the anniversary of last year's savage attacks with
a heightened awareness of their environment and the activities occurring around
them. This call, which Americans have heard before, is based on specific intelligence
that heightened awareness and readiness deters terrorism. Each of us has the ability
to increase the security of our ourselves, our families and our communities. Today
we call on Americans to exercise this responsibility with special care and vigilance.
Now Governor Ridge will discuss what actions will be taken in response to this
new information.